Museum of Ashe County History, Inc.

Saturday April 28th will be the "Grand Reopening" to be called a "Spring Party" from 10AM to 4PM with food, music, demonstrations, new displays in the various exhibit rooms of the Historic Ashe County Courthouse which has been renovated and now called the Museum of Ashe County  History, Inc. (MACH)!   

The permanent exhibits include: The Virginia Creeper Railroad Display, The Ashe County Sports Hall of Fame, The Story of the 1904 Courthouse, The Veterans Honor Room which will include displays and memorabilia of
Ashe County NC and the Civil War. There are also displays paying tribute to all the Veterans who served in all branches of the Armed Forces.

When Ashe County built a new courthouse in 2001, the old 1904 Courthouse faced an uncertain fate. It had been pieced and patched for as long as anyone could remember, and many thought it was not worth saving. Demolition was not an option for a dedicated group of Ashe County citizens, who joined forces to preserve the building as a museum.

The physical structure literally grew out of the soil of Ashe County NC: the foundation is of native stone, the window sills of soapstone mined in the county, the bricks hand-made in Mr. Barker's brickyard right up the street. The framing timbers and sills were cut on the north slope of Mt Jefferson and milled by local sawyers.

The Ashe County Courthouse was the county's architectural jewel when local craftsmen built it over a century ago. The facade resembles a Greek temple. The imposing structure impressed people with the majesty of the law and the integrity of government. For most of the Twentieth Century, the important events of people's lives took place in or were recorded in this building.

The Ashe County Historical Society, Members of the Ashe County Board of Commissioners, the County Manager and New River Community Partners worked together to obtain a grant from the North Carolina Department of Transportation. Ashe County agreed to provide matching funds. The Museum of Ashe County History, Inc. was created as the entity to restore, maintain and manage the building.

A1 Mountain Realty is located in downtown West Jefferson NC which is only a short distance from the Museum of Ashe County History, Inc. Visit us and view all the Ashe County NC listings we have to offer. Whether its a piece of undeveloped land, mountain getaway, or a permanent home the staff of knowledgeable Ashe County Realtors here at A1 will make that dream a reality.

Information was obtained from http://www.ashehistory.org/about.php